Defendant in Mexican Drug Conspiracy Case Sentenced to Fifteen Years and Eight Months
- $25,000 in cash and 3 vehicles seized for forfeiture

OCT 17 -- PADUCAH, KY - U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky announced today that Levi Mendivil Vega a/k/a “Javier” a/k/a “Emmanuel Perez Ramos”, age 23, illegally in the United States and subject to deportation, was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months imprisonment in United States District Court, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams (approximately one pound) or more of methamphetamine. Vega is the last of twelve defendants sentenced in a case in which approximately $400,000 worth of methamphetamine was seized. Vega is currently serving a separate federal prison term of 15 years and 8 months for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in the District of Arizona, Phoenix Division. Thomas B. Russell, Judge, United States District Court, also sentenced Vega to 5 years supervised release following incarceration. There is no parole in the federal judicial system.

Vega pleaded guilty on August 14, 2008, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Specifically, the investigation revealed that during the spring of 2004, Defendant Vega, who was living in Arizona at that time, began supplying co-defendant Gregory Scott Hayden with methamphetamine in Kentucky. The amounts of methamphetamine Hayden received from Vega began as ounce quantities, but eventually escalated into pound quantities. Defendant Vega would either bring the methamphetamine to Hayden in Kentucky or Hayden would travel to Arizona to pick up the methamphetamine.

Approximately $25,000 in cash that constituted drug proceeds and three vehicles used to transport drugs have been seized for forfeiture purposes.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michele Thielhorn.

The investigation was a joint effort of several law enforcement agencies including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Kentucky, Illinois and Arizona, the Kentucky State Police, the Illinois State Police, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office, the Ballard County Sheriff’s Department and the Mesa, Arizona Police Department.